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cnbc.com
UK PM Keir Starmer suffers major blow after his party comes third in key vote
The result in a seat that Labour has dominated for nearly a century represents an embarrassing setback for the prime minister.
theguardian.com
Netflix shares jump after walking away from Warner Bros Discovery deal, clearing way for Paramount – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsNetflix declines to match Paramount offer for Warner Bros DiscoveryMeanwhile in London, the stock market has hit a new record high.The FTSE 100 index of blue-chip shares has extended its run of record, rising over the 10,900-point mark for the first time to reach 10,914 points.‘’The FTSE 100 is sailing ever higher on a big wave of enthusiasm for London listed stocks. The blue-chip index has opened at fresh record levels. It’s been on a breathtaking run upwards, accelerating its surge higher since the start of the year, rising by more than 9%. Momentum appears to be on its side with the psychologically important 11,000 mark now in its sights. Its mining constituents have been benefitting for demand for metals in particular, as signs indicate that a commodities super-cycle is underway, with huge demand for metals and minerals needed to power the green revolution and build AI infrastructure. Geopolitical tensions and rising debt levels are keeping demand for safe precious metals intact, while defence contractors continue to benefit from the big uplift in spending on military capabilities.Rightmove topped the leaderboard in early trade, after its results enthused investors. It saw a 9% uplift in revenues as estate agents upped spend on the portal’s extra services to keep homebuyers engaged. Rightmove is trying to move with the times, by dramatically increasing spend on AI innovations. The scale of the spend, with a bulk of a £60 million investment due to be spent on the technology over the next three years, had caused jitters among shareholders. However, now that revenues are showing some signs of keeping up with the company’s ambitions, it’s helped quell some concerns. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Hornby sells slot car racing brand Scalextric for £20m
Purbeck Capital Partners seals deal for business and property rights of toy with model railway makerFor almost six decades Hornby has watched Scalextric drive revenues for its hobby business but on Friday the company said it had decided to sell the famous slot car racing brand for £20m to a little known buyer.The model railway company, which also sells toy planes and cars under the Airfix and Corgi brands, has sold the Scalextric business and intellectual property rights to Purbeck Capital Partners. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘More exploitation, fewer rights’: Argentina braces for sweeping overhaul of labor laws
Javier Milei’s boosters say law will revive employment, but critics decry cuts to severance and longer working hoursArgentina’s senate is poised to approve a sweeping overhaul of labour laws aimed at weakening trade unions and lowering labour costs for businesses.The government of the self-styled “anarcho-capitalist” president, Javier Milei, says the initiative will help revive formal employment, after 290,600 registered jobs were lost between December 2023, when he took office, and November 2025. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Asia markets trade mixed after Wall Street pullback on Nvidia slump
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Friday, after U.S. stocks declined overnight as Nvidia shares tumbled despite a quarterly earnings beat.
theguardian.com
Homes a short walk from the sea in England and Scotland – in pictures
From a former fisher’s cottage a stone’s throw from the water, to a majestic Arts and Crafts house near a path to the beach Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Switching energy deal can save £200 as price cap falls, say experts
Households on a default dual-fuel tariff in Great Britain could cut costs by moving to a fixed dealExperts have told households whose energy bills are pegged to the price cap not to “rest on their laurels” as they could save more than £200 a year on a fixed deal.This week, Ofgem said the price cap in Great Britain would drop by 7% from April. This usually only matters if you are on a default tariff, but this time the reduction applies to everyone because the government is removing green charges from bills. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
See the movie, play the game: How Nintendo is pulling out all the stops to sell the Switch 2
Nintendo is betting on nostalgia and new gamers to drive sales of its flagship Switch 2 console and key games.
theguardian.com
Dirty Business, The Lady, Mandelson’s arrest – are they truth, ‘faction’ or just more drama? | Simon Jenkins
The latest rush of docudramas seems to suggest that anyone in the public eye must expect a degree of intrusion. But where does that end?Was that really Peter Mandelson getting into a police car on Monday? Was it really the same Mandelson who had supposedly been about to flee to the British Virgin Islands, the man called “a traitor” to his country and the buddy of a sex trafficker of girls? Was he really to be questioned for nine hours by the police over “misconduct in public office”, an offence few people have ever heard of? For a moment, I thought it must be a trailer for a new Epstein docudrama “inspired by real-life events”.For two months, news desks on both sides of the Atlantic have been trawling through the Epstein files, daily releasing sensational details. This one story – now years old – is crushing out many others. The name of Jeffrey Epstein this past week has claimed precedence over Donald Trump, China, Iran and Ukraine. Each night’s BBC television news has demoted Keir Starmer, the NHS, tax reform and student loans. Preference is relentlessly ceded to Epstein, with bit parts for the former prince Andrew, Mandelson, Bill Gates, the Clintons and a galaxy of billionaires and celebrities. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
An Indian company is set to build a $2 billion AI hub with Nvidia’s GPUs and go public. Here's what we know so far
Yotta Data Services, which controls up to 70% of India’s GPU capacity, said surging demand from local AI startups and global tech firms is tightening supply.
bbc.com
Data tool to spot families due financial support
Households entitled to national benefits will be identified by the new system.
bbc.com
Community larder helps 117 people in one day
Jo Haywood says the volunteer-led group is seeing "record numbers" of people needing cheaper food.
theguardian.com
If France could lead the world with Minitel in the 1980s, surely Europe can free itself from Silicon Valley’s shackles now? | Alexander Hurst
Back then, France punched above its weight when it came to tech. The EU needs it to rediscover its taste for the cutting edgeIn the 1960s, France became the third country, after the US and Soviet Union, to independently place a satellite (Astérix) into orbit, and the only country to send an animal into space and – crucially, for Félicette the catstronaut – bring it back alive. A decade later, the Franco-British Concorde flicked passengers across the Atlantic in three and a half hours and the TGV began to propel them through the countryside first at 250km/h (155mph), and then 320km/h. Then, in the late 1980s, the French space agency designed a crewed spaceplane, Hermès, that corrected for the Nasa space shuttle’s vulnerability by being integrated into its launch vehicle rather than perched atop it.A concerted buildout of nuclear power left France with one of the least carbon-intensive economies in the world. And then, of course, there was the Minitel. More than a decade before anyone was typing “www” into their web browsers, French users were able to buy train tickets, check film showings, do their banking, play games, find recipes, read their horoscopes, or even log into, yes, erotic chats – la messagerie rose, as it was known. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Paramount set for $111bn Warner Bros takeover after Netflix drops bid
Netflix's decision to back down from the bidding war clears the path for Paramount to win the takeover battle.
bbc.com
Anthropic boss rejects Pentagon demand to drop AI safeguards
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously threatened to remove the firm from the department's supply chain.
cnbc.com
U.S. and Iran wrap up 'most intense' nuclear talks with no deal — more negotiations ahead
Iran's nuclear program, enrichment of uranium and its ballistic-missle development program have been at the crux of the negotiations.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Netflix bows out from Warner Bros. Discovery bidding war
Netflix on Thursday stateside said it declined to raise a counteroffer for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets.
cnbc.com
CoreWeave shares slip 8% as quarterly revenue guidance disappoints
The company's quarterly revenue forecast fell short of consensus.
theguardian.com
Burger King cooks up AI chatbot to spot if employees say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’
OpenAI-powered assistant will help to ‘understand overall service patterns’, company says, as move sparks backlashFrom hospitality workers to retail employees, the exaggerated “customer service voice”, often mocked in internet memes as wildly different from someone’s real voice, has long been a cultural trope. Fast-food giant Burger King is now taking that voice one step further, saying it will detect whether employees are using words like “please” and “thank you” through the assistance of artificial intelligence.On Thursday, Burger King announced it is rolling out a new AI chatbot connected to employee headsets at hundreds of locations in the US as part of a platform called BK Assistant, powered by OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Jack Dorsey's Block cuts thousands of jobs as it embraces AI
The Twitter co-founder says he believes the majority of firms will make similar changes "within the next year."
bbc.com
Why you can't get a signal at festivals and sports matches
Connecting up music and sports events to the internet is a massive undertaking.
cnbc.com
Netflix ditches deal for Warner Bros. Discovery after Paramount’s offer is deemed superior
Netflix is ditching a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets after the WBD board deemed a revised bid by Paramount to be superior.
cnbc.com
Block shares soar 24% as company slashes workforce by nearly half
Block said Thursday it's laying off more than 4,000 employees, or about half of its head count.
cnbc.com
Anthropic CEO Amodei says Pentagon's threats 'do not change our position' on AI
Anthropic said its negotiations with the DoD are still ongoing.
cnbc.com
CNBC's Inside India newsletter: As AI shockwaves hit software firms, what’s in store for India’s IT titans?
AI-led disruption is threatening India’s software giants.
theguardian.com
Drop in overseas workers is ‘car crash’ for UK hospitals and care homes, say experts
Care roles hit particularly hard by UK’s lurch to the right on migration, according to analysis of Home Office dataHospitals and care homes in the UK face “an impending car crash”, experts have warned, as research shows the number of overseas nurses and carers has collapsed.Analysis of Home Office quarterly data reveals the number of overseas nurses granted entry to the UK has fallen by 93% over three years. Just 1,777 overseas nurses were granted entry in 2025, compared with 26,100 in 2022. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'I stopped engaging' due to Instagram, YouTube, woman tells landmark trial
The young woman, who accuses Meta and Google of making addictive social media platforms, has been speaking in court.
theguardian.com
Birmingham City’s owners explore moving into rugby union and buying Prem franchise
RFU due to confirm shake-up of rugby’s top divisionKnighthead Capital Management in early discussionsBirmingham City’s owner, Knighthead Capital Management, is among a number of American investors exploring the purchase of potential new franchises in Prem Rugby before a radical shake-up of the sport due to be ratified by the Rugby Football Union on Friday.The RFU council will vote at Twickenham on proposals to ringfence the 10-team Prem with no promotion or relegation until 2030, when a staged expansion is planned, beginning with the addition of two more teams. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump administration faces first big tariff refund court deadline on Friday
Trump's DOJ has until Friday to decide on moving a tariff refund case to the Court of International Trade, the first deadline since the Supreme Court decision.
bbc.com
Burger King rolls out AI headsets that track employee 'friendliness'
The fast-food chain is testing OpenAI-powered headsets that monitor staff interactions with customers.
theguardian.com
Mandelson faces EU inquiry into Brussels trade role over Epstein links
European Anti-Fraud Office to look into the former US ambassador’s time as trade commissioner in BrusselsPeter Mandelson is facing an inquiry by the EU’s anti-fraud agency after the European Commission requested the body look into his activities during his time as trade commissioner in Brussels.The commission said it referred the peer, 72, to the European Anti-Fraud Office, known as Olaf, last week after the US Department of Justice released documents allegedly showing he shared sensitive government information with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Nvidia's blowout earnings report disappoints Wall Street as stock sinks 5%
"The odds were stacked against them," Adam Phillips of EP Wealth Advisors told CNBC.
cnbc.com
Jeep maker Stellantis posts first annual loss in company history after EV writedowns
The results come shortly after the auto giant scaled back its EV ambitions following a major strategic shift.
theguardian.com
Chelsea made English record £355m loss in 2024-25 season, Uefa data reveals
Deficit is the highest ever recorded by an English clubBlueCo partner Strasbourg also lost £69m in same periodChelsea made a financial loss of £355m in the 2024-25 season, according to new data released by Uefa, the biggest deficit ever recorded by an English football club.According to Uefa, Chelsea’s losses were more than double the second-worst in Europe, the £171m posted by Lyon. The figures are also about £260m worse than those posted by the Blues in 2023-24. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Democrats plan to force Iran war powers vote next week
The president has commanded a massive military buildup in the region, as he negotiates a new nuclear deal with Iran.
bbc.com
Mandelson referred to EU anti-fraud agency over Epstein emails
The European Commission says it is assessing whether the peer breached its code of conduct while its trade envoy.
bbc.com
'Is this all good debt or bad debt?'
Karen has not only left the family in emotional turmoil but also serious debt
theguardian.com
Ocado failing to deliver on its potential as one of UK’s great technology hopes
Firm’s automated warehouses are struggling to compete against swift deliveries from stores by bike ridersOcado to cut 1,000 jobs in £150m cost-saving driveOnly six years ago, the boss of Ocado Group was writing the obituary for supermarkets as he predicted that a surge in online grocery shopping during the pandemic had brought forward the hi-tech future.“Not every store will disappear, but there will be a dramatic shift,” Tim Steiner said at the height of the Covid pandemic, when shopping from the sofa became the only option for many. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Yes, Britain needs more babies – but Reform's nasty plans for women won't help | Polly Toynbee
The UK, like many other countries, has a falling birthrate. But Danny Kruger’s perverse 1970s-style policies offer nothing to mothers-to-beBabies are beautiful. I always want to smile at them in the street, perhaps because they are a rarer and more precious sight in this ageing country or because they remind me of my grandchildren. There are about 3.5 million children aged four and under, while dogs on the streets are a more plentiful 13.5 million. Is the dog boom compensating for fewer children? As time goes by, there are going to be ever more grandparents and ever fewer children to beam at foolishly.That is not only a sadness and a loss, but becoming an aged society is a cultural and economic threat. Older people, by and large, are not the innovators or new thinkers. An ageing society risks declining in optimism, creativity and, above all, risk-taking: a top-heavy preponderance of older people makes for a conservative and fearful electorate. We are there already – and it’s getting worse.Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnistGuardian Newsroom: Can Labour come back from the brink? On Monday 30 April, ahead of the May elections, join Gaby Hinsliff, Zoe Williams, Polly Toynbee and Rafael Behr as they discuss how much of a threat Labour faces from the Green party and Reform – and whether Keir Starmer can survive as leader of the Labour party. Book tickets hereDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK social media ban for under-16s edges closer with Starmer expected to back it
Liz Kendall to launch consultation next week that will also explore alternatives such as curbs on infinite scrollingMinisters will take another step towards banning social media for under-16s next week as they launch a consultation on the policy, with government insiders increasingly certain Keir Starmer will back the idea.Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, will publish the terms of reference for the consultation, which is expected to explore options including an age limit and less hardline action such as curbs on infinite scrolling. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Walmart to pay $100m over claims it misled drivers over pay
The company told drivers they could expect to receive more in pay and tips than they actually did.
theguardian.com
Subsidies for Rolls-Royce might seem a bit rich, but they are inevitable | Nils Pratley
Every country supports its aerospace business, while keeping the production at home is vital. At least with Rolls the UK is backing a winnerRolls-Royce, the engine-maker and defence firm that is spitting out so much cash it can shove £7bn to £9bn towards buying back shares over the next three years, would like UK taxpayers to find a few quid – reportedly up to £200m as a first slug – to help fund one its big bets. The company would “appreciate” financial support from the government to smooth work on a new engine, says its chief executive, Tufan Erginbilgiç.Outrageous? Well, corporate welfare for Rolls is obviously absurd in the abstract. If there is a definition of a company that can afford to pay for its own research and development, this is it. One might also say Rolls owes us a favour since it was the recipient of billions of pounds worth of loan guarantees from the UK’s export finance agency when the Covid wolf was at the corporate door in 2020. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A mountain to climb in today’s job market | Letters
Readers respond to articles by Gaby Hinsliff and Sumaiya Motara on the availability of first jobs, and the hoops applicants are made to jump throughGaby Hinsliff may be right to link the current lack of starter jobs to recent increases in minimum wage and national insurance costs for employers (Do you remember your first crappy job? Today’s young people would wish for half your luck, 20 February). But there’s more to it.In the 250-plus years between the invention of the water-powered spinning jenny and artificial intelligence, we have developed technology and technique with the primary aim of reducing the number of people necessary to employ for a given amount of output. On a finite planet, the amount of output must eventually stabilise. We cannot maintain for ever the notion that everyone must have a job in order to be allowed to have a life.Donald SimpsonRochdale, Greater Manchester Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Fighting a losing battle to tackle growth in plastic production | Letters
Readers respond to an interview with Beth Gardiner on how the oil industry is pumping billions more into plasticsBeth Gardiner is right to argue that plastic is not merely a recycling failure (‘They pushed so many lies about recycling’: the fight to stop big oil pumping billions more into plastics, 19 February). It is something far more consequential: an oil growth strategy.Petrochemicals – of which plastics are the dominant output – now account for roughly 75% of net global oil-demand growth, and are projected to become the largest driver of future oil demand. Plastic production has already doubled in the past two decades. Major oil companies are responding accordingly. Recent consolidation – including a $60bn merger creating one of the world’s largest plastics producers – reflects a deliberate pivot toward petrochemical assets as a long-term demand anchor. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Drax to stop burning controversial Canadian wood within next year
Yorkshire plant has been criticised for taking material from some of British Columbia’s most environmentally important forestsThe owner of Drax power plant has started reducing the amount of Canadian wood pellets it burns, and will stop burning trees from British Columbia entirely within the next year.The FTSE 250 company Drax Group said its Canadian wood pellet plants, which once supplied millions of tonnes of biomass to be burnt in its North Yorkshire power plant, had cost the company almost £200m in financial impairments last year. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
France's Engie jumps 7% after $14 billion UK power grid deal; European markets close flat
More broadly, European stocks were mixed as corporate earnings held the spotlight.
bbc.com
Nearly a million 16-24 year-olds not working or in education
People at the start of their careers are particularly affected by the UK's weak job market.
bbc.com
Instagram to alert parents if teens search for self-harm and suicide content
Safety campaigners say Meta is "passing the buck" with its new feature for parents using Instagram's teen supervision tools.
bbc.com
Food banks 'essential' for new generation of students
Queen's University Belfast says there were more than 10,500 visits by students to its food bank in the students' union.
theguardian.com
Send provision and student loans: will Labour’s changes backfire? – podcast
As the dust settles on the government’s landmark changes to children’s special educational needs and disabilities provision, what will their impact really be on young people, their families and schools? John Harris and Kiran Stacey look at what we know so far. And, a growing backlash from graduates over student loan payments, led by the influential consumer champion Martin Lewis, is causing a headache the government was not anticipating. Why did they overlook this and what changes could be made?Archive: ITV news, BBC Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK parents fear young will be worse off for first time in a century, ex-minister warns
Alan Milburn says people feel ‘social contract is being broken’ as number of Neets climbs to 957,000The number of young people in the UK not working or in education has risen closer to a million, figures show, as a government adviser warned that for the first time in a century parents do not think their children will have a better life than them.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people aged 16 to 24 who were not in education, employment or training (Neet) rose to 957,000 in the final three months of last year, equating to 12.8% of this age group. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Hungary accuses Ukraine of 'oil blockade,' deploys soldiers to key energy facilities
Hungary has accused Ukraine of disrupting oil supplies it gets from Russia and has stationed troops at critical energy facilities across the country.
cnbc.com
Russia says Cuba situation is escalating after deadly incident with U.S.-tagged speedboat
The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Havana.
theguardian.com
Italian woman awarded compensation after breaking ankle while working from home
University of Padua employee fractured ankle when getting up to fetch documents during video meetingAn Italian woman who fell and broke her ankle while working from home has obtained compensation in an unprecedented court ruling hailed a victory for workers’ rights.In April 2022, the woman, an employee in the University of Padua’s law department, fractured her ankle in two places. The injury, which happened during a Zoom meeting where she fell after she got up from her desk to fetch documents, required surgery and treatment lasting more than four months. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Plan to pedestrianise London’s Oxford Street given official go-ahead
Sadiq Khan promises to create ‘world-leading urban space’, with remaining traffic removed this summerPlans to pedestrianise London’s Oxford Street have been given the official go-ahead, with the mayor, Sadiq Khan, promising to create a “world-leading urban space”.The remaining traffic – buses and taxis but also bikes, e-scooters and pedicabs – should be removed this summer, after a second public consultation on reshaping a central stretch of the capital’s famous shopping street. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Democratic senators press Commerce Secretary Lutnick on conflict of interest concerns in USA Rare Earth deal
Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Chris Van Hollen and Ron Wyden are pressing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for more information on the USA Rare Earth deal.
cnbc.com
The world's biggest sovereign wealth fund is using Anthropic's Claude AI model to screen investments for ethical issues
Norway’s $2 trillion wealth fund is reviewing its ethical framework after decisions on U.S. and Israeli companies drew ire from the Trump administration.
cnbc.com
Trump said beef, egg and chicken prices are falling. Here's what the data shows
President Donald Trump said that prices for certain proteins like beef, chicken and eggs have declined. Here's what the data shows about costs for these items.
theguardian.com
US ‘bullying’ could scupper carbon levy on shipping, warn experts
Panama joins smaller nations in dropping support for policy aimed at cutting maritime emissionsUS “bullying” over a proposed carbon levy on shipping appears to be paying off, experts have said, after Panama reversed its support for the measure.In a leaked document seen by the Guardian, the key maritime state has co-sponsored a proposal to the International Maritime Organization that would in effect cancel the carbon levy and undermine attempts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading...
bbc.com
World Economic Forum boss quits after review of Epstein links
Brende acknowledged communications with Epstein but said he was "completely unaware" of his past criminal activity.
theguardian.com
An oil refinery defined life in this quaint California city. What happens when it’s gone?
For decades, the Valero refinery shaped Benicia’s economy, politics and health. Now the city has become a reluctant test case of whether an oil town can reinvent itselfLess than 40 miles north of San Francisco, the city of Benicia has the quaint ambience of an American small town, where a white gazebo and sign for a community crab bake mark the approach to a vibrant downtown stretch of restaurants, cafes and antique shops.From many vantage points, it’s easy to forget the city is home to a massive 900-acre oil refinery, its imposing sprawl of stacks, holding tanks and billowing steam hidden from view. But for nearly 60 years, the refinery has loomed over every aspect of life in Benicia, exerting outsized influence on its economy and politics, while posing serious risks to public health. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘A gift that falls from the sky’: why farmers are using Etna’s ash as fertiliser
Falling volcanic ash has for years been viewed as a nuisance. But a Sicilian project has discovered its agricultural potential and wants to spread the wordIn the Sicilian town of Giarre overlooking Mount Etna, Andrea Passanisi, a tropical and citrus fruits producer, uses an unusual fertiliser on his 100-hectare (247-acre) stretch of land: volcano ash.Like hundreds of farmers and citizens of rural towns perched on the slopes of Europe’s highest and most active volcano, the 41-year-old’s family has had to deal with the nuisance of falling volcanic ash for generations. But it is only in recent years that the quantity of ash has become so excessive that it required an alternative approach. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Royal Mail bosses to be called to Parliament over letter delivery failures
It comes after hundreds of people contacted BBC Your Voice to express frustration over late deliveries.
bbc.com
Ocado to axe 1,000 jobs in cost-cutting drive
The technology and online grocery group is cutting about 5% of its global workforce, with two-thirds of the losses in the UK.
theguardian.com
Waitrose suspends sale of mackerel because of overfishing
Supermarket chain says it will point customers to herring and other species to protect threatened Atlantic stocksWaitrose has become the first UK supermarket to suspend the sale of mackerel because of overfishing and will start pointing customers toward herring and other species.The Marine Conservation Society warned last year that stocks were at breaking point owing to overfishing, and it downgraded mackerel from a three to a four on its five-point Good Fish Guide sustainability scale. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang says markets ‘got it wrong’ on AI threat to software companies
Investors had grown weary that the massive run-up in spending on AI hardware might not be sustainable, stoking fears of a bubble building in the sector.
cnbc.com
U.S. warns Iran's reluctance to discuss weapons is a 'big, big problem' as fresh talks begin
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran's reluctance to discuss its intercontinental ballistic missiles was a "big, big problem."
theguardian.com
Riding the wave: can surf tourism save Peru’s ancient reed-boat fishing culture?
As fish stocks dwindle, surf tourism may offer a lifeline to traditional caballitos de totora fishers, whose vessels are thought to be among the first ever used to ride wavesJust before dawn, in a scene that has repeated itself over thousands of years on the north coast of Peru, fishers drag boats made of bound reeds to the water’s edge and, kneeling on them, use paddles shaped from split bamboo to row out into the Pacific Ocean to catch their breakfast. A few hours later, these surfer fishers return with netfuls of their catch, riding waves on the final stretch back to the shore. From the main beach in Huanchaco – a seaside town near the city of Trujillo – the fish are taken to sell at the market or to beachfront restaurants preparing meals for tourists.The four-metre-long reed vessels – known as caballitos de totora in Spanish, or “little reed horses” – are placed upright on their ends by the promenade on El Mogote beach so that the seawater drains away and they are ready to be used the next morning. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Pressure to make budgets add up as Holyrood election looms
Parties hoping to form at least part of a government will want to show how they will pay for their vote-winning promises
theguardian.com
David Davis takes 'unusual step' of thanking Guardian for coverage of dual nationals – video
A Home Office minister, Mike Tapp, has rejected claims that the government failed to adequately communicate new border rules that could see British dual nationals barred from boarding flights to the UK. The former Conservative cabinet minister David Davis said three of his constituents only became aware of the changes through reporting by the Guardian and the BBC. Under the new rules, British dual nationals must present either a valid or expired British passport, or a £589 certificate of entitlement, to prove their right of abode before boarding a plane, ferry or train to the UKHome Office denies ‘absurd’ criticism over rule change that may leave dual nationals strandedUK politics live – latest updates Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Rolls-Royce raises outlook, plans up to $12 billion share buyback as engine demand boosts growth
Rolls-Royce sees profits of over £4 billion this year as the engine and power systems maker promises another year of robust growth.
theguardian.com
Leave big tech behind! How to replace Amazon, Google, X, Meta, Apple – and more
A handful of companies monopolise the web, with unprecedented access to our data. But there are many more ethical – and often distinctively European – alternativesThere’s not much to love about big tech these days. So many ills can be laid at its door: social media harms, misinformation, polarisation, mining and misuse of personal data, environmental negligence, tax avoidance, the list goes on. Added to which, Silicon Valley’s leaders seem all too keen to cosy up to the Trump administration, to shower the president with bribes – sorry, gifts – and remain silent about his worsening political overreach. And that’s before we get to the rampant “enshittification”, as the tech writer Cory Doctorow describes it, which means that by design many big tech products have become less useful and more extractive than they were when we originally signed up to them.We’ve entered into a Faustian pact with these companies: “While it’s brilliant to have access to high-quality products and software, very often for ‘free’, it’s important to remember that there is a trade-off involved – often of our personal data and privacy,” says Lisa Barber, tech editor at Which? We give these companies our attention and our information, which they then turn into big bucks and apparently unassailable monopolies. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Keen bosses, strange mistakes and a looming threat: workers on training AI to do their jobs
Some say the technology is devaluing their work, while others reckon it is not yet – and might never be – good enough to replace them entirelyWorkers grappling with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence have said they feel “devalued” by the technology and warned of a downward trajectory in the quality of work.Recent analysis by the International Monetary Fund found AI would affect about 40% of jobs around the world. Its head, Kristalina Georgieva, has said: “This is like a tsunami hitting the labour market.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Nvidia still hasn't sold its U.S.-approved China AI chips — and it’s worried local AI rivals could take over
The U.S. chipmaker has yet to confirm shipments to China despite Washington easing restrictions on exports of advanced chips.
cnbc.com
Trump insists trade deals safe after Supreme Court ruling upends tariff authority, but partners aren’t so sure
The Supreme Court decision to strike down Trump's tariffs has thrown fresh confusion over the raft of trade deals negotiated with global partners, stalling trade talks.
theguardian.com
‘Magic beneath the surface’: pioneering geothermal plant launched in Cornwall
A new mini power station and lithium extraction facility near Redruth are set to bolster green energy and create jobsJust outside the perimeter fence stand the hulking remains of grand stone engine houses, a testament to Cornwall’s proud tin and copper mining history.But inside is a shiny new mini power station and lithium extraction plant that is once again accessing rich underground resources in the far south-west of Britain. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The secret life of a waitress: my nine nightmare diners – from flirts to complainers
Are influencers really the biggest problem facing waiting staff? Not compared with the customer who demanded I pick up her dog’s poo ...Influencers have had a bad time of it at restaurants recently. There they are, just trying to record a quick video and take a few pictures of their lunch, and restaurateur Jeremy King (of the Ivy and the Wolseley in London) goes and writes an article saying they’re ruining the dining experience of “bona fide guests” – something he says staff are “desperately trying to stop”. I’ve read pieces calling TikTok the end of the London restaurant scene. Friends’ parents have even said they would get up and leave if they were sitting next to anyone filming their meal.This surprises me. I have worked as a waitress in restaurants for more than five years, a job I love, and the joys of which most often come from the customers I serve. Of course, for every 10 great customers, you’re bound to get one that’s not so great – I’ve come across my fair share of those. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Can degrowth save the climate? – podcast
Since the 1960s, global GDP has been rapidly rising and living standards have reached record highs. But something else has been rocketing up too – carbon emissions. For years, scientists and economists have been asking: is it possible to grow without heating and polluting the Earth? And as the climate becomes more unstable, the issue is only becoming more urgent. Madeleine Finlay hears from two economists arguing for a change in how we measure a country’s success. Nick Stern is professor of economics and government at the London School of Economics and an advocate of green growth, an approach to growth that prioritises green industry. Jason Hickel is a political economist and professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona who advocates degrowth, shrinking parts of the economy that do not advance our social and ecological goals.Catch up with all the pieces in the Beyond Growth seriesSupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
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China holiday spending sends a strong signal on consumer stimulus plans
China's nine-day Lunar New Year holiday showed consumers were eager to travel, while remaining price-conscious.
bbc.com
Canada's finance minister says US is unlikely to lift tariffs
The comments come after US President Donald Trump said he wants global tariffs to replace income taxes as America's main revenue source.
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The family-owned soda firm that still uses returnable glass bottles
Soft drinks company Twig's Beverage has a loyal following for its old-fashioned approach.
bbc.com
Aldi shop staff to receive two pay rises this year
The German budget supermarket is a growing competitor among British supermarkets.
bbc.com
Chip giant Nvidia defies AI concerns with record $215bn revenue
Demand for Nvidia chips rose even as the company sets out to create AI products of its own.
bbc.com
Why Asian firms are not cheering Trump tariff ruling
The US Supreme Court's decision to block a pillar of US trade policy has caused yet more uncertainty.
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Faisal Islam: Is the UK economy really turning a corner?
The Chancellor is trying to use this moment as a launching pad for a wider attempt to gee up consumer and business confidence.
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MrBeast video editor fined over insider trading
A former California governor candidate was also disciplined as the prediction market Kalshi cracks down.
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Bill Gates reportedly apologizes, admits to two affairs in candid town hall
Bill Gates "took responsibility for his actions" in a meeting with employees of the Gates Foundation, which had held fundraising discussions with Epstein.
bbc.com
John Lewis pulls out of housebuilding business
The retailer began expanding into housebuilding in 2020 but it is scrapping those plans to focus on retail instead.
theguardian.com
Labour ministers exploring ways of easing burden of plan 2 student loans
Government looking at options such as increasing loan repayment thresholds amid growing pressureMinisters are examining ways to ease the burden of student loans after weeks of pressure over a policy pulling more people into repayments, the Guardian understands.The Treasury and the Department for Education are reviewing different options to offer relief to those with plan 2 student loans, which often leave graduates in England and Wales paying tens of thousands more than the original loan amount. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Household energy bills to fall in April after charges shake-up
Changes announced in the Budget mean all energy bills will see some kind of reduction, but it will vary.
bbc.com
Tesco to cut 180 jobs within its head office
Chief executive Ken Murphy says Tesco must be “efficient and agile” to compete.
theguardian.com
Why the energy price cap in Great Britain is falling from April
Cap on average dual-fuel bill is to be reduced by 7% to £1,641 a year, but the saving is less than the chancellor promisedEnergy bills will fall by £117 for millions of households in Great Britain from AprilThe average energy bill for millions of households will fall by £10 a month in the spring, after Ofgem said the price cap would fall by 7% owing to a shake-up in green levies.The price cap is revised by the energy regulator for Great Britain every three months. It said that from April the cost of the average annual dual-fuel bill would drop to £1,641, down from £1,758 today. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Student loan crisis in England and Wales is a scam against graduates, MPs say
Labour backbenchers turn on Rachel Reeves as MP claims former students are stuck in a loans ‘Hotel California’Angry backbench Labour MPs have attacked ministers over the student loans crisis, saying graduates are being “outrageously scammed”.During a Commons Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday, several Labour MPs joined calls for an urgent shake-up of the “unfair” system, with one describing it as “an absolute dog’s dinner” and another likening the terms to something that a “loan shark” would offer. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Martin Lewis on what the new energy price cap means
Typical household energy bills will fall by 7% in April, regulator Ofgem has announced, following a shake-up in charges by the government.
theguardian.com
The ‘golden age of America’? Trump delivers the State of the Union address – podcast
Donald Trump made history again on Tuesday evening, delivering the longest State of the Union address on record. But while the president declared the ‘golden age of America’, many Democrats boycotted the event, telling the country Republicans are ‘making your life harder’.The Guardian’s Jenna Amatulli talks to Rolling Stone’s Nikki McCann Ramírez about Trump’s claims, the Democrats’ rebuttal, and how the speech will land with a divided nation Continue reading...
bbc.com
Not even potholes will hold up self-driving cars, UK firm predicts
Wayve says it's confident all cars will one day be autonomous, as it announced more than a £1bn in additional investment.
theguardian.com
‘Big Four’ meatpackers under fire as beef prices soar
McDonald’s and other food industry players accuse the big beef packers of collusion and price-gouging. The packers deny these allegationsOn 21 November, at the end of the first shift at the Tyson Foods beef processing plant in Lexington, Nebraska, all workers were called to the lunchroom and told they no longer had jobs. Many gathered afterward in the gravel parking lot. Some wailed and cried out.“It’s a terrible thing to know that we won’t be able to pay rent, won’t be able to pay the electricity, our cars – all the bills coming our way,” said Constancio Perales, a 64-year-old worker born in Durango, Mexico, who has worked at the plant since 1996 – the last 25 years cutting the bone out of chuck steaks. “It’s very sad that they would fire us like that – just telling us there’s no more work, as if to say go away.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
Gucci criticised for 'AI slop' images ahead of major fashion show
Users of social media - where the marketing campaign has been launched - say it is out of keeping with Gucci's reputation for luxury.
bbc.com
Aston Martin cuts 20% of workforce as losses widen
About 600 jobs will go at the luxury car maker, which in part blames US tariffs for its troubles.
bbc.com
New travel rules for UK visitors kick in - how are you affected?
From 25 February, a new system will come into force which will affect many people, including British dual nationals.
theguardian.com
Energy bills will fall by £117 for millions of households in Great Britain from April
Ofgem cap drops by 7% to £1,641 a year for consumers’ average gas and electricity costsAnnual energy bills will fall by £117 for millions of households from April after Rachel Reeves’s plan to cut £150 a year from bills was partly foiled by rising costs.The energy regulator Ofgem’s quarterly cap will drop by 7% for the three months from April to £1,641 a year for the average combined gas and electricity bill in Great Britain for those paying by direct debit, from £1,758 under the current January-March cap. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Shein's elusive boss hails Chinese roots in rare public appearance
His speech follows years of the firm focusing away from China as it moved its headquarters to Singapore.
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Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
Orbital space race heats up in Arctic north
Europe lags far behind the US and China in orbital space launches, but new facilities are opening up.
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Are you cut out for living and working in Antarctica?
Jobs are available on the icy continent for chefs, plumbers, carpenters and even hairdressers.
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When the retail staff can't help you
This customer might be feeling trolled, in this scene from Small Prophets.
bbc.com
How do you modernise mango farming?
India's mango farmers are being urged to innovate as climate change makes cultivation "unpredictable".
bbc.com
The two farms in Senegal that supply many of the UK's vegetables
During winter in Britain fresh produce is sent by cargo ship from the West African nation every week.
bbc.com
Why youth unemployment is rising
Unemployment in the UK rose to its highest rate in nearly five years at the end of 2025
bbc.com
Netflix and Paramount are battling for Warner Bros. Who is likely to win?
What to know about the two firms' blockbuster battle to control Warner Bros Discovery.
bbc.com
Reddit's human content wins amid the AI flood
Reddit says its human contributors are valued amid an internet awash with AI-generated content.
bbc.com
Trump eyes Venezuela visit – but obstacles to his oil plan remain
The US president wants American energy firms to start extracting the crude but they are reluctant.
bbc.com
The US economy is growing - so where are all the jobs?
As hiring rates and job openings drop, some worry a tough job market could be here to stay.
bbc.com
Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands
Developing a durable and affordable hand is one of the biggest challenges in robotics.
bbc.com
Who is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how did he make his money?
The industrialist and Manchester United co-owner has apologised over comments he made about immigration.
bbc.com
The Dutch love four-day working weeks, but are they sustainable?
The Netherlands has the lowest working hours in Europe, but some say it is harming its economy.
bbc.com
How £50m 'fish disco' could save farmland
Innovative tech scares fish away from nuclear cooling pipes.
bbc.com
Why food fraud persists, even with improving tech
Even with sophisticated technology it is still difficult to detect fake foods.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
bbc.com
Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
bbc.com
The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
cnbc.com
Meta says it fixed 'error' after Instagram users report a flood of graphic and violent content
Meta has apologized for a mistake that resulted in some Instagram users reporting a flood of violent and graphic content on their recommended content feeds.
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